Top US diplomat’s 90-minute meeting with Solomons PM reveals ‘fundamental concern’

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has defended her decision not to travel to the Solomon Islands, as a US counterpart returns from his own trip with “fundamental concerns”.

A senior US envoy would not rule out military action against Solomon Islands if China established a defence base on the island state as Australia also refused to say what would happen if the so-called “red line” in the region was crossed.

Despite Solomons’ Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare ignoring Australia’s pleas to not sign a security pact with Beijing, Foreign Minister Marise Payne has confirmed the Morrison Government were relying on his “assurances” a permanent Chinese military base would not be ­allowed in his country.

“(Mr Sogavare) has now reiterated, including to his own parliament, to his own people on multiple occasions, not just to Australia … there is no agreement from him or from his government that would see the Chinese able to establish a military base in the Solomon Islands,” she said.

Ms Payne again defended her decision not to travel to the Solomons since the pact was signed, just as US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel Kritenbrink returned from his own trip to the ­islands, as well as Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Kritenbrink, who is US President Joe Biden’s top diplomat in the Pacific region, said he was deeply concerned about the lack of “transparency” around the deal, which he ­expressed to Mr Sogavare during a 90-minute meeting.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink has recently returned from a diplomatic trip to the Solomon Islands. Picture: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

“What precisely are the motivations behind the agreement? What exactly are China’s objectives?” he said.

“I think they’re completely unclear because this agreement has not been scrutinised or viewed or subjected to any kind of consultation or approval process by anyone else.

“The lack of transparency I think is a fundamental concern.”

Mr Kritenbrink would not speculate on what the US ­response would be if a permanent Chinese military base was established in the Solomons, described by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as a “red line”.

But he confirmed he told Solomons officials the US would “respond accordingly” if that did happen.

“We reiterated our respect for sovereignty of the Solomon Islands. But we also outlined the potential regional security implications of this security agreement that it has signed with the People’s ­Republic of China,” he said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne confirmed Australia is taking the Solomons’ Prime Minister at his word. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Ms Payne said she also ­believed it was “not helpful to speculate” on the consequences. Asked how Australia could trust the word of Mr ­Sogavare given the security pact had caught the region by surprise and its contents were not public, Ms Payne said she was “pleased” by his “assurances” there would not be a ­Chinese military base there.

Ms Payne said Mr Soga­vare had also stated “very clearly” Australia remained the Solomons’ “security partner of choice”.

Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said the prospect of a Chinese base less than 2000km from Australia’s coastline was “dramatically detrimental to Australia’s security interests”.

“(The government’s) response appears to be more chest beating. There is no point in beating your chest if you’re beaten to the punch,” she said.